Texas kicks off critical battle for House control

Texas voters head to the polls Tuesday to choose party nominees in a handful of critical districts in the fight for control of Congress in the 2020 elections.

The marquee fights on Tuesday will be for the delegates headed to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee this summer, and for the right to face Sen. John CornynJohn CornynSenate headed for late night vote amid standoff over lands bill Koch-backed group launches ad campaign to support four vulnerable GOP senators Tim Scott to introduce GOP police reform bill next week MORE (R) in November.

But down the ballot, Texas has rapidly supplanted California as the epicenter of the battle for the House of Representatives. Newly competitive seats and a handful of Republican retirements have made the Dallas and Houston suburbs and exurbs this year’s version of Orange County in 2018.

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“There are going to be seats coming open to the Dems in most election cycles going forward. So it’s wise to begin to look closely and choose wisely where you’re going to invest in this cycle and the ones to come later,” said Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University.

The Democratic Congressional Committee has opened an office in Austin, replicating their efforts south of Los Angeles two years ago.

After years of sky-high growth and demographic change, and at the end of a redistricting cycle in which urban and suburban areas have blossomed while more conservative rural regions shrank, Democrats made significant inroads in several Texas districts in the 2018 midterm elections.

“It’s not just changing demographics. Texas has become more urban,” said Mustafa Tameez, a Democratic strategist in Houston. “There’s a lot of energy on the Democratic side, and people can smell victory.”

But Republicans want those districts back — and Democrats plan to keep pushing for the seats in which they came up just short.

In a sign of just how enthusiastic members of both parties are about the presidential election year, dozens of candidates have filed to run for the most competitive seats. Those candidates will have to win a majority of the vote to avoid a May 26 runoff, and in several cases the fields are so crowded that a runoff is almost certain.

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Six Republicans are fighting for the right to take on Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D), who ousted a Republican incumbent in a suburban Houston district that Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE won by just over a percentage point in 2016.

Republicans expect Wesley Hunt, an Iraq war veteran, to lead the GOP field; Hunt has lapped his rivals in fundraising and spending, though former Bellaire Mayor Cindy Siegel (R) has spent more than half a million dollars on her campaign.

In Dallas, Rep. Colin Allred (D) will face the winner of a five-way Republican primary. Businesswoman Genevieve Collins (R) leads the field, ahead of retired Navy SEAL Floyd McLendon (R), who may force Collins into a runoff. Clinton won the 32nd district by a two-point margin in 2016.

Democrats see their best opportunity to add to their House majority in a sprawling rural district that stretches from the El Paso suburbs all the way to San Antonio, a rural seat held by Rep. Will HurdWilliam Ballard HurdHouse Republicans hopeful about bipartisan path forward on police reform legislation House GOP delays police reform bill The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump’s public standing sags after Floyd protests MORE (R), who is retiring at the end of his current term.

Hurd won reelection in 2018 by just under 1,000 votes. His rival that year, Iraq war veteran Gina Ortiz Jones (D), is back for a second try. Nine Republicans are running, led by Burt Jones (R), a former civil servant, and Tony Gonzales, a retired Navy veteran who deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Most Republicans expect Jones and Gonzales to head to a runoff.

Ortiz Jones “ran very well last time, came very close. That experience and that campaign infrastructure and the lack of an incumbent opponent puts her over the top,” Jillson said.

Democrats also have high hopes for the 24th district, where Rep. Kenny MarchantKenny Ewell MarchantMinority caucuses endorse Texas Afro-Latina for Congress Latina underdog for Texas House seat picks up steam Texas kicks off critical battle for House control MORE (R) won reelection by just three percentage points in 2018. Beth Van Duyne (R), the former mayor of Irving, is the most likely Republican nominee.

Democrats face a contested primary between Kim Olson and Candace Valenzuela, both former local school district officials, and Jan McDowell, the nominee against Marchant in both 2016 and 2018 who maintains good relations with district Democrats. Olson and Valenzuela appear headed to a runoff.

Two Democrats are also likely headed to a runoff in the 10th district, where Rep. Michael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaul The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Association of American Railroads Ian Jefferies says no place for hate, racism or bigotry in rail industry or society; Trump declares victory in response to promising jobs report Ousted watchdog says he told top State aides about Pompeo probe US to slap restrictions on more Chinese media outlets: report MORE (R) held off attorney and civil rights activist Mike Siegel (D) by just five points two years ago. Siegel is likely to lead the Democratic field, but he could face a runoff against either Pritesh Gandhi, a physician, or Shannon Hutcheson, an attorney.

The party will almost certainly not face a runoff in the 21st district, in between San Antonio and Austin. Rep. Chip RoyCharles (Chip) Eugene RoySmall businesses receive much-needed Paycheck Protection Program fixes House passes bill to grant flexibility for small business aid program The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Major space launch today; Trump feuds with Twitter MORE (R) won his seat by a 2.5-percent margin in 2018, and this time he will face Wendy Davis (D), the former state senator who ran for governor in 2014.

A wild field of 15 Republicans are hoping to succeed another Texas retiree, Rep. Pete OlsonPeter (Pete) Graham OlsonPeople over politics on PPP funding Kulkarni wins Texas House Democratic primary Former sheriff, GOP mega-donor headed to runoff in Texas GOP race MORE (R). Most Republicans believe a runoff will come down to two of three leading candidates: Kathaleen Wall (R), a businesswoman who ran for Congress in a nearby district in 2018; Troy Nehls, the Fort Bend County sheriff; and Pierce Bush, the grandson of former President George H.W. Bush.

Olson beat Sri Preston Kulkarni, a former foreign service officer, by just five points in 2018. Kulkarni is back for a second run in the Houston exurbs, where he has raised more than $1 million so far.

Many of the potentially competitive seats this year include women running strong campaigns for the Republican nomination. That is partly a recognition, Texas Republicans said, that Democrats won a huge number of red districts across the country in 2018 on the strength of women candidates.

“The Texas Republican Party and conservatives have really made an effort to train and recruit more women, and I think we’re starting to see the fruits of that,” said Nancy Bocskor, a Republican fundraiser and director of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at Texas Woman’s University. “We have found if we can get a Republican woman through a primary, there’s going to be a greater chance that she can win in November.”

As the jockeying for potentially competitive seats mounts, two incumbents find themselves with more pressing challenges from within their own party.

In the suburban Dallas Metroplex, Rep. Kay GrangerNorvell (Kay) Kay GrangerSpace dominance by way of Texas Lawmakers call on VA to remove swastikas from headstones in veterans cemeteries The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by the APTA – A huge night for Joe Biden MORE (R) faces a surprisingly aggressive challenge from Chris Putnam, a former Colleyville city council member whose campaign has benefitted from advertising from the conservative Club for Growth. Those ads have attacked Granger as a big spender who is insufficiently supportive of President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE.

“The Tea Party has waned all over the country and in Texas, but those kind of candidates are still challenging incumbents,” Jillson said.

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Granger won Trump’s endorsement in December, and she has vastly outspent Putnam. The Congressional Leadership Fund, the largest House Republican super PAC, has dropped more than $1.2 million into ads both backing Granger and attacking Putnam.

And in the Rio Grande Valley, an ideological fight is playing out on the other side of the aisle. Jessica Cisneros, an attorney and liberal activist, is mounting a significant fight against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D), who Cisneros says is too conservative.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has increasingly backed Republicans in recent years, has spent on Cuellar’s behalf, while liberal groups like the Justice Democrats are working for Cisneros. Cisneros has support from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezAttorney says 75-year-old man shoved by Buffalo police suffered brain injury How language is bringing down Donald Trump Highest-circulation Kentucky newspaper endorses Charles Booker in Senate race MORE (D-N.Y.) and presidential candidates including Sens. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) and Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.).

“This is more than just a conservative Democrat versus a progressive Democrat. This extends to a younger generation versus an older generation,” said Ed Espinoza, a Cisneros backer who runs the liberal group Progress Texas.

Despite her big-name backers, most Democrats expect Cuellar to keep his seat.

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Democrats face longer odds in a race against Rep. Dan CrenshawDaniel CrenshawGOP lawmakers call for new sanctions on senior Chinese officials Michigan suspends license of barber who vowed to keep his shop open ‘until Jesus comes’ The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Rep. Hurd says China engaged in global disinformation campaign; US unemployment highest since Great Depression MORE (R) in Houston’s northern suburbs. Crenshaw, a freshman who won his seat by seven points in 2018, will likely face attorney Sima Ladjevardian, a self-funder who campaigned for former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) in his 2018 Senate contest.

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President Trump won Crenshaw’s district by a nine-point margin in 2016, though that edge was significantly slimmer than the margins by which Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Attorney says 75-year-old man shoved by Buffalo police suffered brain injury MORE and John McCainJohn Sidney McCainThe Hill’s Campaign Report: Bad polling data is piling up for Trump Cindy McCain ‘disappointed’ McGrath used image of John McCain in ad attacking McConnell Report that Bush won’t support Trump reelection ‘completely made up,’ spokesman says MORE won the seat in 2012 and 2008.

One of the Republicans who lost his reelection bid in 2018 is trying to return to Washington, albeit in a different district. Former Rep. Pete SessionsPeter Anderson SessionsTexas kicks off critical battle for House control The Hill’s review of John Solomon’s columns on Ukraine Tenth Congressional Black Caucus member backs Biden MORE (R) is one of a dozen Republicans who will appear on the ballot to replace retiring Rep. Bill FloresWilliam (Bill) Hose FloresLawmakers ask Trump administration to help Gulf oil and gas producers Texas kicks off critical battle for House control Democrats push to end confidentiality for oil companies that don’t add ethanol MORE (R) in the 17th district, a seat Trump won by 17 points in 2016. Sessions has spent more than any candidate except George Hindman, a businessman who has run for office before.

Though the primaries have raged with the expected partisan vigor, Texas Republicans say they are aiming to show a calmer, gentler side to voters this year. The state legislative session in 2019 was not dominated by the sorts of culture war issues that have riven Austin in recent years, by design.

“There wasn’t a bathroom bill introduced,” Bocskor said. “They did some really strategic moves and made strategic decisions to not alienate suburban women. This isn’t the 100 percent ban on abortion like you’re seeing in other southern states.”

“This state is growing,” Bocskor said. “So let’s not purposely alienate the swing voter, and those are suburban moms.”